So far no specific forage maize varieties are known to be registered in Kenya. Encouraging seed producers and seed distributers to register these specific varieties can be an enormous benefit for dairy farmers who make maize silage for their herds. Maize silage in Kenya is often characterized by high NDF content, low NDF digestibility and low starch content of the silage, because the maize varieties used are grain producing varieties and bred to stay green long without logging and ripen thereafter quickly within a short period.

1. Maize silage from seed to feed in Kenya,
opportunities and challenges
KMDP 3R Kenya Forage Seminar
28 August 2019
David Miano Mwangi PhD
KALRO

2. From seed to feed
Seed /
variety
selection
Crop
husbandry
Harvesting /
clamp
management
Feed out /
balanced
ration
Intake /
palatability
3

3. Characteristics of the dairy sector in Kenya
• Low productivity
➢ 1400 ltr. per lactation
➢ collapsing lactation curves
• Long calving intervals
➢ cows in negative energy balance
➢ silent heat
• Availability of year round quality
and quantity of forage
5

4. Collapsing lactation curve
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85
MilkYieldKg
Weeks
Typical Lactation Curve on Smallholder Dairy Farms in Kenya
6
Weeks after calving
Milkyieldkg/week

5. Normal vs collapsing lactation curve
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 61 63 65 67 69 71 73 75 77 79 81 83 85
MilkYieldKg
Weeks
Typical Lactation Curve on Smallholder Dairy Farms in Kenya
5
Milkyieldkg/week
Weeks after calving

6. Effect of improved feeding
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
1
6
11
16
21
26
31
36
41
46
51
56
61
66
71
76
81
86
91
96
101
106
111
116
121
126
131
136
141
146
151
156
161
166
171
176
181
186
191
196
201
206
Milkyieldkg/week
Lactation days
Lactation Curves with and without adequate Feeding
6
Lactation weeks
Milkyieldkg/week

7. Importance of maize variety
Variety affects:
• Dry Matter Yield
• Quality
➢Protein Content
➢Digestibility
➢Low Fiber content
❖NDF – Neutral Detergent fibre
❖ADF – Acid detergent fibre
7

8. What type of maize variety do we need
• High Dry Matter Yield
• High digestibility = High energy
• Low fibre content
❖ NDF - intake 0.169kg with 1% decrease
❖ ADF – low ADF higher energy (digestibility)
• Protein Content (Combine with legumes)
• Withstand higher plant population (logging)
8

9. Effect of variety and component digestibility
on quality
9
Plant fraction Type of
hybrid
% of dry
plant
Crude protein
g/kg DM
NDF
g/kg DM
IVDNDF *
g/kg DM
Whole silage Grain 7.0 43.6 34.6
Forage 6.9 45.6 38.0
Kernels Grain 43.7 9.2 11.7 48.5
Forage 41.0 9.1 12.8 44.9
Husk, shank, silk Grain 7.0 3.8 76.7 51.2
Forage 6.7 3.1 73.5 45.0
Stalk, sheath, tassel Grain 29.5 1.9 69.1 32.7
Forage 30.4 2.5 69.1 42.3
Leaves Grain 11.9 10.2 56.4 45.7
Forage 13.0 10.0 57.1 53.7
Cobs Grain 7.9 1.7 11.7 35.5
Forage 8.9 1.8 80.5 30.0
Source: Adapted from Kuehn et al., * IVDNDF : In vitro digestibility of NDF using 48 h incubation in rumen fluid

10. Key trait differences between Grain and Forage
varieties
Trait Grain variety Forage variety
Plant Population 34,000/acre 38,000/acre
Grain yield High Adequate
Forage yield Adequate High
Stalks Stainability Digestibility
Kernel Hard Soft
Plant dry out Stay green synchronous
10
Source: silage guide Dekalb

11. Relation between forage maize yield and
maize grain yield
11

12. Silage quality in Kenya
ME Category
MJ/kg DM
N=106 DM
g/kg silage
ME
MJ/kg DM
NDF
g/kg DM
Starch
g/kg DM
8.0-8.9 21 29.8 8.6 577 73
9.0-9.9 61 30.2 9.5 549 97
10.0-10.9 21 29.8 10.3 485 158
11.0-11.9 3 31.6 11.3 423 253
Target Netherlands 32-36 10.7-11.3 370-420 320-400
12
Source: Creemers J. SNV-KMDP Rumen8 pilot ; Target: SNV-BLGG report 2013
Quality silage low NDF and high starch

13. KEPHIS criteria for forage maize
• 3 kits depending on the area
• Stand Count – spacing 75 cm x 20 cm
• Root and stalk lodging (%)
• Ear and Plant height
• Disease score
• Fodder yield (at soft dough stage)
13

14. Conservation process
• Quality of silage depends on the quality of material used ( you can’t
improve the quality by ensiling)
• Dry matter content important
➢ Low DM – Nutrients lost in the effluent
➢ Poor fermentation (lactic vs butyric acid)
14

15. Determination of % DM in maize silage
Grab method in fist
State of ball % Moisture % DM
Ball holds its shape and there is considerable effluent > 75 < 25
Ball holds its shape but little effluent 70-75 30-25
Ball falls apart slowly without effluent 60-70 40-30
Ball falls apart rapidly < 60 > 40
Source:
..Grab method silage.docx
15

16. Oven method
Determination of % DM in maize silage
Weigh 100 g and dry in oven at 60 oC to constant weight and reweigh
until the weight does not change anymore
For silage use the equation below:
3.96+(0.94 X oven % DM)
16

17. Challenges
• Maize is a Schedule 1 crop therefore need NPT (National Performance
Trials
• No Varieties released so far
17

18. Opportunities
• KEPHIS is already carrying out NPTs (National Performance Test)
• Need to influence the criteria being used in the NPT
• Need to look at Digestibility of the forage – while the proportion of
grain (ears) is important digestibility of the stalks is very important
(30% Vs 50% cob)
18

19. Thank you for your attention